ICC official refuses Ganguly entry into Eden Gardens pitch

Even in his most severe nightmares, Sourav Ganguly wouldn’t have seen it coming. It was likely for the first occasion in his long cricketing job that the Ex- Indian skipper and regional cricketer was stopped from going to the Eden Gardens ground as he didn’t carry an identity card.

Ganguly, who was doing his first commentary job at the Eden for the host tv broadcaster during the India-England ODI on Tuesday, was stopped by an anti-corruption unit official of the ICC when he was going into the ground for the pitch report before the start of the match. The ACU official, Dharmender Singh Yadav, told him “Who are you?” to which a surprised Ganguly reportedly responded “I am Sourav Ganguly, going for the pitch report”.

However, Yadav wasn’t satisfied and told for his ID card, which Ganguly wasn’t carrying then as he had left it at the commentary box.Ganguly had to move back to the commentary box, get his card and then only Yadav authorized him into the ground.

Ganguly didn’t make any remark on the event.However, Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretary Biswarup Dey says he’d heard that this kind of incident did happen. “The thing was sorted out. But I will talk to Ganguly,” he says.